Man beaten to death by up to six thugs wielding golf clubs after row in restaurant

Nitish Khanna, 19, was beaten to death by a gang of golf club-wielding thugs following a minor disagreement in a restaurant in Mississauga, Canada

A young man was beaten to death by a gang of golf club-wielding thugs after a disagreement in a restaurant toilet.

Nitish Khanna, 19, died on the pavement outside the Tasty Bite restaurant in Mississauga, Canada, in the early hours of yesterday morning following the brutal attack by either five or six men, according to differing reports.

The car rental worker from Toronto had stopped off at the restaurant with two friends after a night out - but trouble started when a friend of Mr Khanna was apparently insulted in the lavatory.

Mr Khanna later spoke to the men in the restaurant and believed he had resolved the issue.

But as he left the restaurant with his friends he found them waiting outside with golf clubs.

Bhumin Patel, who was with Mr Khanna, said that the men cornered him and began hitting him with the clubs.

'I felt helpless. He's been my friend for years and I could not do anything. I could have tried saving a life, but I couldn't have done it without risking my life,' Mr Patel told The Star.

Police arrived on the scene just after 2am to find Mr Khanna with 'obvious signs of trauma'. Paramedics who were called were unable to resuscitate him.

Police are now searching for a light-coloured, four-door vehicle in which the attackers are said to have fled.